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Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1923, Page 2

i'he 'Westland Racing Club, which held its annual meeting last evening, expects to enjoy a new era of prosperity now that there is through railway connection for sportsmen. The hopes should he realised. The Club has built well for the future which should now open up. The course and appointments are well found in every way, and there should he no complaint in regard to the nature of the accommodation provided. The 1 facilities and conveniences afforded for the conduct of a race meeting are certainly very complete. The Club in co-operation with the Trotting Club, has had some useful improvements carried out during the year. The widening of the course, happily is accomplished just at the time when the fields may be expected to increase in numbers. The clubs have thus looked well ahead. In the past there has been a good deal of expenditure, and a substantial debt has been contracted. But now the Club should be in a fair way to recoup its usefully expended outlay. The next meeting will bo held during the Exhibition Times, when the accommodation of the course should be well taxed. The meeting will bo a good test of the wisdom, of the Club in anticipating an event of such great interest to the future of West Coast sport.

In {ho Western Australian Assembly, Mrs Cowan moved the second reading of a short bill of two clauses to remove sex disqualification from women. The bill provides that a person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function : or frorg being appointed to or holding any civil or judicial office or post; or from being admitted and entitled to practise as a practitioner within the meaning of that term in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1893; or from entering or assuming or carrying on any other civil profession or vocation. Mrs Cowan said chat the interpretation of the Act of this State, which provided that words importing the masculine gender should include the feminine, did not in practice meet the case, for whenever women had wanted to enter positions in one direction or another a special Act had to he passed. Great Britain and Mow South Wales had passed legislation similar to that which she was submitting. In other countries women were admitted to many professions and avenues of employment to which they were not admitted in this State. When women in this State had applied for admission to the Courts the Judges held that women could not bo admitted. She did not see why women could not ho Ministers of the Crown. 'I hen they would not see the amazing anomaly presented in New South Wales of a man being Minister t° r Motherhood. (Laughter.) Mrs Cowan said women were admitted to the Bar in nearly every State in Australia. In common justice women ought to be allowed to stand side by side with men. They must- have wider avenues of employment, because our young men were not marrying. (Laughter.) She hoped members would agree to this bill, to place women on an absolute equality with men, leaving it afterwards to he a matter of the survival of the fittest. The debate was adjourned.'